SACRAMENTO'S HARDWARE STORE
FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1908
EMIGH HISTORY
The first Emigh Hardware store was opened in 1908 by brothers James and Clay Emigh, who set up shop at 1208 J Street after moving from Suisan City.
Four years later, the company merged with Winchell and Cline and moved to a larger location at 310 J Street. Another move in 1918 took the business to Seventh and J Street, where it remained for 14 years under the leadership of the brothers.
With the retirement of the senior Emigh brothers in the early 1930s, the next generation took the helm. James’ sons Albert, James Jr. and Colby moved the business farther uptown to the 13th and J Street, the current location of the Sacramento Community Convention Center. During these years of the Depression and World War II, even steel garbage cans on sale – much to the consternation of competitors who wanted to keep prices high.
By 1952, Colby was ready for another move. Attracted by the postwar building boom in the suburbs, he took a risk and relocated the business to “the country,” the newly developed Country Club Centre at El Camino and Watt whose only neighbor was a goat farm.
Timeline of Emigh's History
FUN FACT ABOUT EMIGH
In the 1960’s the company introduced a cartoon character depicting a pigtailed girl in overalls saying, “Call me Amy.” Little Amy, a composite of Colby and Jesma Emigh’s daughters Carol and Mary, is still a familiar feature in Emigh Hardware advertisements.
